Abstract: A link cost determining method including computing, by a station, a new composite data rate using a set of data rates including an average data rate, a geometric mean data rate, and a minimum data rate for data samples, computing, by the station, a pair of hysteresis thresholds for a previous composite data rate, determining, by the station, whether the new composite data rate exceeds one of the pair of hysteresis thresholds, and advertising, by the station, the new composite data rate when the new composite data rate exceeds one of the pair of hysteresis thresholds.

Abstract: A link cost determining method including computing, by a station, a new composite data rate using a set of data rates including an average data rate, a geometric mean data rate, and a minimum data rate for data samples, computing, by the station, a pair of hysteresis thresholds for a previous composite data rate, determining, by the station, whether the new composite data rate exceeds one of the pair of hysteresis thresholds, and advertising, by the station, the new composite data rate when the new composite data rate exceeds one of the pair of hysteresis thresholds.

Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus for managing network address information. In some embodiments, an appropriate address authority is queried to obtain information useful for address mapping. For example, the address authority may be selected by determining whether an address to be mapped is within one or more blocks of addresses for which the address authority is authoritative. In some further embodiments, address mapping information may be distributed from an address authority to a network device, so that the network device may perform address mapping using locally available information.

Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus for recovery from network changes. In some embodiments, a first network device may operating in a network comprising a second network device having a designated role according to at least one communication protocol. The first network device may detect a change relating to the second network device and determine whether the change is of a type among one or more selected types of changes. The first network device may further determine whether to inhibit operation of the first network device based at least in part on whether the change is of a type among the one or more selected types of changes.

Abstract: A network component that processes or sends multi-destination frame via a wireless radio link. In one example embodiment, the network component may receive the multi-destination frame that comprises a control block type, a receiver list, and one or more data packets in a wireless radio network. The network component may determine the control block type and the receiver list from the multi-destination frame. The receiver list may reference a plurality of receivers and the control block type may indicate a type of receiver list. The network component may receive one or more data frames. In another example embodiment, the network component may generate a multi-destination frame that comprises the control block type, a receiver list associated with the control block type, a header, and the one or more data frames and send the multi-destination frame to a plurality of receivers.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises: a memory; and a processor coupled to the memory and configured to: perform a random number generation; generate a host identifier (HID) based on the random number generation, wherein the HID is substantially unique within a local network; and generate, using the HID, an initial message requesting a local address. A method comprises: performing a random number generation; generating a host identifier (HID) based on the random number generation, wherein the HID is substantially unique within a local network; generating, using the HID, an initial message requesting a local address; and transmitting the initial message.

Abstract: A link cost determining method including computing, by a station, a new composite data rate using a set of data rates including an average data rate, a geometric mean data rate, and a minimum data rate for data samples, computing, by the station, a pair of hysteresis thresholds for a previous composite data rate, determining, by the station, whether the new composite data rate exceeds one of the pair of hysteresis thresholds, and advertising, by the station, the new composite data rate when the new composite data rate exceeds one of the pair of hysteresis thresholds.

Abstract: A network configuring method that includes receiving a first message at a first station from a second station that indicates message types that are not accepted by the second station, receiving a data packet, determining a message type for the data packet, discarding the data packet when the message type is not accepted by the second station, and forwarding the data packet when the message type is accepted by the second station. A network device that includes a transmitter, a receiver, a memory, and a processor configured to receive a first message from a station that indicates message types that are not accepted by the station, receive a data packet, determine a message type for the data packet, discard the data packet when the message type is not accepted by the station, and forward the data packet when the message type is accepted by the station.

Abstract: Some embodiments relate to a network comprising two RBridges connected by a link where the two RBridges are not the ingress and egress RBridge for said frames, wherein said RBridges automatically exchange information as to their support of hop-by-hop reversible frame aggregation, reversible header compression, and reversible data compression, and wherein if both RBridges support any or all of these features in the same fashion, one or more of said features are automatically applied to appropriate frames at the transmitting RBridge and removed at the receiving RBridge, increasing the throughput of the link.

Abstract: A network component that processes or sends multi-destination frame via a wireless radio link. In one example embodiment, the network component may receive the multi-destination frame that comprises a control block type, a receiver list, and one or more data packets in a wireless radio network. The network component may determine the control block type and the receiver list from the multi-destination frame. The receiver list may reference a plurality of receivers and the control block type may indicate a type of receiver list. The network component may receive one or more data frames. In another example embodiment, the network component may generate a multi-destination frame that comprises the control block type, a receiver list associated with the control block type, a header, and the one or more data frames and send the multi-destination frame to a plurality of receivers.

Abstract: A method and system for mutually authenticating a first node and a second node operating in a wireless communication network enables mutual authentication when the first node and the second node are unable to directly authenticate each other. The method includes identifying, at the first node, a third node that can authenticate both the first node and the second node (step 215). Authentication data for authenticating the first node with the third node is then transmitted from the first node to the third node (step 220). Keying material that is received from the third node is then processed at the first node (step 225). A shared secret mutual authentication protocol is then processed, whereby the first node and the second node are mutually authenticated by proving that they each have authenticated with the third node and each have the keying material (step 230).

Abstract: A method for external organization path length (EOPL) validation is provided. A relying party node of an organization receives an authentication request from a subject node of an external organization. The relying party node then obtains and evaluates certificates from a chain of certificates that link the subject node to a trust anchor of the relying party node wherein, at least one certificate from the chain of certificates comprises an enabled external organization flag (EOF) and/or an external organization path length constraint (EOPLC). The relying party node invalidates authentication of the subject node when the relying party node determines that a total number of enabled EOFs from certificates in the chain of certificates exceeds the lowest EOPLC value from certificates in the chain of certificates.

Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus for pseudo-link creation. In some embodiments, a network device operates in a network comprising a first switch device and a second switch device. The switch device may receive a control message from the first switch device and selectively forward the control message to the second switch device so as to create a pseudo-link between the first switch device and the second switch device.

Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus for multi-level switching in a network comprising a plurality of link-state routing areas. In some embodiments, a network device connecting at least two link-state routing areas is configured to receive a data frame from an area. The network device may be configured to determine whether the data frame is to be transmitted to a different area and to determine whether to modify at least one field of the data frame prior to transmitting the data frame based on whether the data frame is to be transmitted to a different area. The network device may be further configured to determine whether to block the data frame based on whether the data frame is to be transmitted to a different area and based on a field of the data frame.

Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus for recovery from network changes. In some embodiments, a first network device may operating in a network comprising a second network device having a designated role according to at least one communication protocol. The first network device may detect a change relating to the second network device and determine whether the change is of a type among one or more selected types of changes. The first network device may further determine whether to inhibit operation of the first network device based at least in part on whether the change is of a type among the one or more selected types of changes.

Abstract: A method for deploying a trust bridge in an ad hoc wireless network can provide interoperability for multi-organizational authentication. The method includes processing at a delegate certification authority (DCA) node device authorizations received from of a plurality of certification authorities (CAs) of different organizations, where the authorizations authorize the DCA node device to serve as a DCA representing the CAs (step 1105). The DCA node device then processes context information received from the ad hoc wireless network (step 1110). Next, the DCA node device determines, based on the context information, that a second node device should be enabled as a new trust bridge (step 1115). The DCA node device then performs a trust bridge deployment to enable the second node device to serve as the new trust bridge (step 1120).

Abstract: Some embodiments relate to a network comprising two RBridges connected by a link where the two RBridges are not the ingress and egress RBridge for said frames, wherein said RBridges automatically exchange information as to their support of hop-by-hop reversible frame aggregation, reversible header compression, and reversible data compression, and wherein if both RBridges support any or all of these features in the same fashion, one or more of said features are automatically applied to appropriate frames at the transmitting RBridge and removed at the receiving RBridge, increasing the throughput of the link.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for external organization (EO) path length (EOPL) validation are provided. A relying party node (RPN) stores a current EO path length constraint (EOPLC) value, and an EOPL counter that maintains a count of an actual external organization path length. The RPN obtains a chain of certificates that link a subject node (SN) to its trust anchor, and processes the certificates in the chain. When a certificate has a lower EOPLC than the current EOPLC value, the RPN replaces the current EOPLC value with the lower EOPLC. When the certificate currently being evaluated includes an enabled EO flag, the RPN increments the EOPL counter by one. The EOPL validation fails when the EOPL counter is greater than the current EOPLC value, and is successful when the last remaining certificate in the chain is processed without having the EOPL counter exceed the current EOPLC value.

Abstract: Systems, methods and apparatus for managing network address information. In some embodiments, an appropriate address authority is queried to obtain information useful for address mapping. For example, the address authority may be selected by determining whether an address to be mapped is within one or more blocks of addresses for which the address authority is authoritative. In some further embodiments, address mapping information may be distributed from an address authority to a network device, so that the network device may perform address mapping using locally available information.

Abstract: Some embodiments relate to a network comprising two RBridges connected by a link where the two RBridges are not the ingress and egress RBridge for said frames, wherein said RBridges automatically exchange information as to their support of hop-by-hop reversible frame aggregation, reversible header compression, and reversible data compression, and wherein if both RBridges support any or all of these features in the same fashion, one or more of said features are automatically applied to appropriate frames at the transmitting RBridge and removed at the receiving RBridge, increasing the throughput of the link.